Page 26 of Dream Mates (Into The Parallel Omegaverse #2)

Chapter Sixteen

Jett

“ A re you sure you’re going to be okay?” Brennan asked as I laced up my hiking boots.

I rolled my eyes. Brennan had been in full-on overprotective alpha mode since Evan’s heat ended. While charming, it was also wearing on me.

“This is a hike that Evan and Wes can go on, it’s fine. ” It was sort of funny that the two members of our pack that were ex-military were the worst hikers. Even Riley was better.

“Just checking. Do you need to take tomorrow off and come back with them instead of returning with me tonight?” Brennan sat next to me on the bed, dressed for our hike in cargo pants and an athletic shirt that showed off his muscles.

“Fuck no. I’m looking forward to a drive back all alone with you.” I gave him a kiss. “Dinner alone with you.” I gave him another. “Having the house to ourselves all night long.”

The last kiss was lingering, a promise. While he’d gone out of his way to make time for me here, it would be nice to have complete privacy.

“Mmmm. I like the sound of that. Maybe we can stop for dinner at that little Italian place? The one with the patio?” he offered. “Share a bottle of chianti and some tiramisu.”

“That sounds great.” I finished tying my shoes and we went downstairs where Riley, Evan, and Wes waited in the living room.

Everyone was dressed pretty much the same as us, only Riley’s boots were black, and she wore makeup and big earrings.

Grace was curled in the alcove with Spencer as they watched a documentary on something sciency. They waved at us as we left, Evan and Wes giving her kisses.

We piled in the car and drove to the trailhead. Riley was very talkative, but Wes was quiet. As we started our hike Wes lagged and kept checking his phone, frowning. I hung back with him, as Brennan and Evan chased Riley up the trail.

“She’s with Spence, she’ll be fine,” I assured him, trying to set him at ease. He really hadn’t been away from her since she’d come back.

Wes’ frown deepened. “I know. That’s the problem.”

Oh. What?

“Did they mate, and I not realize it?” That’s all I could think of. Wes and Spencer were like brothers.

“No, but they’re fucking now.” His fresh laundry scent became bitter.

“Now? They weren’t fucking before?” My head tilted.

Wes shook his head. “They were having fun playing games. But, I guess while we were up here, everything changed.”

“Oh, I would have thought after he gave her the motorcycle–” I stopped as pain filled Wes’ face. “Hey, if you’re not okay with it, talk to them.”

“And be the asshole? I’ve already said that I was fine with it. And I was. When he got her the motorcycle, him planning a special trip for her, even when they were on the boat. But then, suddenly, I’m not and I don’t know why.” He raked his hair with his hand. “I should be fine with it. But…”

“Wes, Grace isn’t going to love you less, or not want to spend time with you, just because she has Spencer, too,” I assured, kicking a rock out of the middle of the trail. “If you’re feeling neglected, talk to her.”

His head hung. “Everyone can take care of her better than me apparently. Bren gave me a fucking lecture. Sure, he’s been with female omegas before, but Grace is mine . I know her better than anyone else.”

Wow. He was still blaming himself for shit he couldn’t control.

“You do. After all, she’s your scent match. No one can care for her like you can. But that doesn’t mean there won’t be a learning curve–for you, for her, for all of us.”

He pouted, picking up a rock and throwing it at a tree. “So even you can take care of her better than me.”

The urge to literally slap some sense into him overwhelmed me.

“No, I can’t,” I said honestly. “That was painfully obvious as she cried in my arms when she first arrived during Evan’s heat.

I could hold her. I could try to ease her fears.

But I couldn’t purr for her. I couldn’t give her what she needed, because what she needed was you. Not Spence, not Evan, you. ”

Okay, maybe Evan a little.

“Oh.” His expression softened.

“Are you mad because of what happened between her and me?” I took a sip of water. It was starting to warm up now.

“Fuck no. It was beautiful. Bren, too. I just could do without him being a sanctimonious asshat.” Wes rolled his eyes.

“We can all do without him being a sanctimonious asshat. But he’s also struggling with the fact that he’s actually starting to give a shit about her,” I offered.

Only Brennan would be worried about caring about someone who lived in his house and was mated to his omega and one of his packmates.

“I’d like for her and Bren to be friends. He can take her to the piano shit you and Evan hate,” he said. “I’d really like once her injuries heal for you to teach her some self-defense.”

“Absolutely. And Spence will take her to all sorts of science shit that we’d find boring, but she’ll love. Just like there’s so much that only the two of you can do together.” I’d happily hand off all classical music concerts and science dinners to Grace.

Wes’ shoulders slumped as his hands went deep into the pockets of his shorts.

“Spence was there, and I wasn’t. She came back, scared and confused, and I wasn’t at the house.

I was up here with Evan. But Spencer was there, to comfort her, to care for her in the immediate aftermath.

I’m her alpha, I should have been there to take care of her. ”

And there it was.

“Wes, Evan was in heat. It was more important for you to be with him than waiting for Grace, given we didn’t know when and if she was coming back. I hope she understands that. Do you need me to talk to her? Is she upset about it?” I asked.

He shook his head.

I thought for a moment. “Did you want her to be upset about it?”

He blew hair out of his eyes. “I’m a shit alpha. A shit, jealous alpha.”

“You’re still working through whatever happened between you two all those years ago. Those feelings are valid. Grace loves you. She dreamt of you across the universe. How fucking special is that?” I goaded. It really was something out of a movie.

A smile twitched on his lips. “True. But dude, Spencer. Fuck.” His head bowed again. “I didn’t feel like this when you and Bren were courting Evan. Which just makes me feel even shittier.”

I snorted. “Yes, you did. Do you need me to refresh your memory?”

Wes and Evan hadn’t been mated very long before we’d decided to be a pack.

“That was about the money. I felt bad that I couldn’t financially give him all the things you two could. It went away when you took over courting,” he admitted.

“Um, no, it didn’t.” I rolled my eyes. Brennan had gone overboard, being flashy with his money, overwhelming not just Wes, but Evan. Because that’s what Brennan thought omegas liked.

So, I’d taken over. But it hadn’t fixed everything. Time and communication had.

“But if that’s what’s bugging you, then talk to Spence and set financial boundaries. Also, you know Grace really just wants ice cream.” It pained me to see him this insecure. But at the same time, he also needed to accept it.

“What if he gets a flavor named after her or some crazy rich people shit like that?” A smile glimmered in his eyes.

I could see that completely. “It would be fucking great.”

“Yeah, it sort of would.” He stopped and took a drink of water.

I could no longer see everyone else, but they’d stop for us at the waypoint. “It’s okay to set boundaries. Bren set boundaries with Evan regarding Grace.”

“He did? What sort, if you can tell me?” Wes said as we started walking again, the path getting a little steeper.

“The main one is that Evan can’t come to bed smelling like her. Boundaries are normal. You can even set them with Evan since he likes to hog her.” I originally set boundaries with Brennan regarding Evan.

As attracted as I was to Evan, I still had some initial fear because he was an omega and Brennan and I were newly married. But, we’d talked it out, taken time for each other, and eventually found our rhythm. They would too.

If they talked to each other.

Wes nodded. “That’s a good idea. I… I guess I’m not really mad that she’s with Spencer. I’m just jealous that he was there and I wasn’t.”

“Then be there for her now. Now comes the really tough shit. This is her world now, and you need to help her through all the adjusting,” I stated.

“True.” He sighed. “I’m just so relieved she’s back. For a moment there I thought that I’d never see her again.”

“We all did. Hey, why don’t you take her out tonight? Just you and her. Spend some time together. Reconnect.” I wasn’t sure if they’d actually talked since she’d come back.

Wes huffed. “Like Spence will let me drive his car.”

“Take the boat, dumbass. Make a reservation at one of the places on the other side of the lake. Be all romantic and shit. Talk. Do more than just cuddle and fuck,” I offered.

“Oh. That sounds nice.” He went quiet. “I really haven’t had her to myself to just talk.”

“Then do that. Carve out some standing time for just the two of you. Maybe Thursdays, since that’s Evan’s night with Riley? Even if you don’t go on a date, you can still watch a movie or sit in the hot tub or something?” I suggested. “Bren and I schedule regular time for each other.”

He rubbed his chin. “That’s a good idea. I still have shit to deal with, don’t I?”

“Yeah, and so does she. But you’re mates, so you’ll work through that shit together. Be there for each other.” I made a face. “When did I become a marriage counselor? Evan’s the fucking social worker.”

“Evan’s biased. You’re not.” Wes smiled. “Thank you.”

I clapped him on the back. “Anytime. Now, we should walk faster and catch up.”